Sri Lanka jihadists were ‘well-educated and financially independent’

The deputy defence minister today also revealed that there were nine suicide bombers – eight men pictured swearing allegiance to ISIS and one of their wives who blew herself up when police raided her home – and said eight have been identified.

They used two safehouses to mastermind the atrocity, he added.

Was Sri Lanka suicide bomber radicalised in BRITAIN? Authorities reveal terrorist studied in UK and how the ‘middle-class’ jihadists were ‘well-educated and financially independent’

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Easter Sunday massacre in Sri Lanka that killed at least 321 people and wounded more than 500.

“Those that carried out the attack that targeted members of the US-led coalition and Christians in Sri Lanka the day before yesterday are Islamic State group fighters,” said a statement released by IS propaganda agency Amaq.

The group also put out an image of a group of men who it claims carried out the attacks.

ISIS have released an image of the suspected Sri Lanka suicide bombers.
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The news comes as Sri Lanka’s defence minister said the attacks on churches and luxury hotels were in retaliation for the Christchurch mosque shootings.

Sri Lanka’s state minister of defence Ruwan Wijewardene told parliament the early findings of the ongoing probe found that the suicide bombings were committed in revenge for the Christchurch shootings at two mosques, allegedly carried out by accused Australian gunman Brenton Tarrant.

Sri Lankan soldiers secure an area near St Anthony’s Shrine. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the horrific bombings.
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Fifty Muslim worshippers died in the horrific New Zealand attacks on March 15.

The death toll from the Sri Lanka terror attacks on churches and luxury hotels has risen to 321, with 500 injured. Islamic State is believed to be behind a video claiming responsibility for the deadly massacre.

Two women weep during a funeral service for bomb blast victims at St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo. Picture: AFP
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The Sri Lankan government earlier blamed the Islamist National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) group for the blasts, saying they were carried out in retaliation for last month’s attacks on two mosques in Christchurch.

The presidency said there was intelligence that “international terror groups” were backing Sri Lankan extremists.

BROTHERS ‘CARRIED OUT HOTEL BOMBINGS’

Police sources told AFP on Tuesday that two Muslim brothers — sons of a wealthy Colombo spice trader — were among the perpetrators of the attacks.

They blew themselves up as guests queued for breakfast at the Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels in the capital, the source said.

The pair were key members of the NTJ, which the government has previously blamed for defacing Buddhist statues, according to an investigation officer.

Scott Morrison greets people at the Leanyer Buddhist temple in Darwin, where he attended a vigil for the victims of the Sri Lankan terrorist attacks. Picture: Keri Megelus
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An attack on a fourth hotel failed and helped lead police to the Islamist group now blamed for the assault, they added.

The brothers, whose names have not been revealed, were in their late twenties and operated their own “family cell”, an investigation officer said.

Tuesday’s claim by IS comes one month after a Kurdish-led Syrian force announced victory over the IS proto-state, after routing jihadists from their last holdout in east Syria with backing from a US-led coalition.

Even after losing their last scrap of territory in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz, the jihadists retain a global network of recruits and have claimed attacks in Iraq, Syria and beyond.

On Sunday, IS claimed responsibility for an attack that killed 10 people and trapped around 2,000 for hours inside the communications ministry in the Afghan capital Kabul the previous day.

PM PAYS TRIBUTE

In Darwin, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has paid his respects to those killed in the attacks, including Melbourne mother and daughter Manik and Alexandria Suriaaratchi, at a special prayer service.

Manik Suriaaratchi and her daughter Alexandria were killed in the Negombo Church explosion.
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Earlier, he confirmed that the Australian Federal Police would be joining Sri Lanka’s investigation effort.

Relatives of the Burlington family weep during the funeral of their family members who were killed in the Easter Sunday bombings in Colombo. Picture: AFPSri Lankan security personnel inspect the debris of a car after it explodes when police tried to defuse a bomb near St Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo.
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“AFP and our people are now joining the investigation efforts,” he said.

“We’ve made those offers and they’ve been responded to and so we’ll be assisting wherever we can with these investigations.”

A state of emergency was imposed on the country, giving the police and the military special powers to counter militant strikes.

It also means suspects can be detained without a court order.

Earlier on Tuesday, an Arabic-language video reportedly showed the suspected leader of the National Thowheed Jamaath, Moulvi Zahran Hashim, pledging allegiance to the so-called Islamic State.

Sri Lankan mourners take part in moments of silence in tribute to bomb blast victims in Colombo.
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There has been no official confirmation as to whether the video is genuine. It was not posted on an official IS media channel, but rather, one believed to be run by supporters of the terrorist group.

The video also depicts several people believed to be the suicide bombers connected to the attack, but who are referred to as “assailants” rather than much-used IS term, “martyrs”.

‘REVENGE’ FOR CHRISTCHURCH SHOOTINGS

That’s a lie. Mohammedans don’t need any pretext to wage jihad on unbelievers.

Wijewardene told Parliament the government possessed information that the bombings were carried out “by an Islamic fundamentalist group” in response to the Christchurch attacks. He also blamed “weakness” within Sri Lanka’s security apparatus for failing to prevent the nine bombings.

“By now it has been established that the intelligence units were aware of this attack and a group of responsible people were informed about the impending attack,” he said. “However, this information has been circulated among only a few officials.”

The office of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern issued a statement responding to the Christchurch claim that described Sri Lanka’s investigation as “in its early stages.” “New Zealand has not yet seen any intelligence upon which such an assessment might be based,” it said.

A bomb went off without warning as police inspected a van in Colombo, Sri Lanka one day after the Easter Sunday attacks. Picture: AP
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As Sri Lanka’s leaders wrangled with the implications of an apparent militant attack and massive intelligence failure, security was heightened for a national day of mourning and the military was employing powers to make arrests it last used during a devastating civil war that ended in 2009.

The six near-simultaneous attacks was Sri Lanka’s deadliest violence in a decade.

Word from international intelligence agencies that a local group was planning attacks apparently didn’t reach the prime minister’s office until after the massacre, exposing the continuing political turmoil in the highest levels of the Sri Lankan government.

St. Sebastian’s Church was damaged in blast in Negombo, north of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Picture: AP
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Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he feared the massacre could unleash instability and he vowed to “vest all necessary powers with the defense forces” to act against those who were responsible.

Sri Lankan air force officers and clergy stand outside St. Anthony’s Shrine, a day after a blast in Colombo. Picture: AP
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Authorities said they knew where the group trained and had safe houses, but did not identify any of the seven suicide bombers, whose bodies were recovered, or the other suspects taken into custody.

All seven bombers were Sri Lankans, but authorities said they strongly suspected foreign links.